Residents of Tacloban City work as one in cleaning streets ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda. (MNS photo)

MANILA, Jan 9 (Mabuhay) – Sen. Nancy Binay on Thursday said the Department of Health should not blame parents or survivors of super typhoon “Yolanda” for the measles outbreak in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

In a statement, Binay said the DOH should assess the apparent failure of the government’s anti-measles campaign over the past years.

“Instead of blaming parents and survivors of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ for the measles outbreak, the DOH should act now to stem any epidemic,” Binay said in a statement.

The senator noted that if the DOH had the capability to conduct a door-to-door campaign for the first round of the measles immunization shots, “then they have the capability to do it one more time.”

“A government agency has the resources it needs to ensure its objectives are met. In this case targeting a ‘zero’ measles environment,” she said.

Free vaccinations are supposed to be given to children between 6 and 48 months old and are given in two doses of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) jab.

Binay said the DOH can ask the help of local government units (LGUs) for the implementation and ensure success of its immunization programs.(MNS)